What are cookies and why must my browser accept them?

Cookies and other similar data files are tiny pieces of information that we ask your browser to store. If your browser doesn't accept cookies, you won't be able to view your account information online. Vanguard.com uses two types of these data files:

Session cookies. These data files are temporary cookies that are deleted when you shut down your browser, when you log off, or after your computer is inactive for 15 minutes. These cookies let us know that you've logged on and they allow us to maintain your privacy as you move from page to page. They also act as timers, logging you off after prolonged inactivity to prevent unauthorized account access.

Permanent or persistent cookies/data files. These types of data files are stored on your hard drive and are read by your browser each time you visit our website. They're used to remember which investments you entered in your Watch List, which funds you're tracking through Outside Investments, the results from your last visit to our Narrow Your Fund Choices tool, and to help verify your identity when you try to access your account information or initiate an online transaction. We also use them if we need to send you important messages while you're online.

Important notes:

We use data files such as cookies only when alternative means are not practical or available.

We disclose all uses of these data files on this page.

We limit the size of our cookies to 4 kilobytes. (It would take about 20 million cookies to fill a 2-gigabyte hard drive.)

You may receive multiple cookies or similar data files during each visit to vanguard.com. For example, when you navigate within a secure area, temporary cookies may be created each time you leave a page.

How can I remove my Vanguard password so that it's not stored on my browser for automatic logons?

Current versions of most browsers that are optimized for our website now offer the option of saving passwords for different websites, including Vanguard’s. While we make every effort to protect the security of your accounts, we don’t recommend storing your Vanguard password on your browser in case your computer becomes compromised.

If your Vanguard password has already been saved by your browser, we’ve listed step-by-step instructions below for how to remove it. These instructions cover Mozilla FireFox, Google Chrome, and Safari. When your password has been removed from the list of passwords, please close out your browser and open a new window before continuing to use our website.

FireFox on Windows

Click the "square with three horizontal lines" icon in the upper right-hand corner and then select "Options."

Click "Security", followed by "Saved Passwords." From here, you can remove Vanguard from the list of saved passwords.

FireFox on Mac

From the FireFox menu, select "Preferences."

Select the "Security" icon at the top of the window. Under the section titled "Passwords", select "Exceptions." From here you can remove Vanguard from the list of saved passwords.

Google Chrome on Windows and Mac

Click the "square with three horizontal lines" icon in the upper right-hand corner, followed by "Settings."

Click the blue "Show advanced settings..." link at the bottom.

Under "Passwords and forms," select "Manage passwords." From here you can remove Vanguard from the list of saved passwords.

Safari on Mac

From the Safari menu, select "Preferences."

Select the "Passwords" icon at the top of the window. Type "Vanguard" into the search bar on the right-hand side. A result for the stored Vanguard password should appear. From here, select the "X" across from the password on the right-hand side to delete it.

Click Delete Files in the Temporary Internet Files section of the Delete Browsing History window. Do not click Delete All. The Delete All feature will remove all cookies, passwords, and history from all other websites as well as Vanguard's.

Click Yes in the Delete Files window and click Close.

Click OK to close the Internet Options window.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.x or higher

Click the Tools menu, then select Internet Options.

Under the Browsing History section, click Delete.

Place a check only next to Temporary Internet Files. Uncheck all other boxes in the list.

Click Delete.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 Metro

From any webpage in Internet Explorer, place cursor in the bottom right corner.

In the Search box, type "Vanguard." Then select all your Vanguard cookies and click Remove.

Firefox 30.x or higher—Windows

Click the Tools menu and select Options.

Click the Privacy icon.

Click Remove individual cookies.

In the Search box, type "Vanguard."

Select the cookie you want to remove and click Remove cookie. To remove multiple cookies, hold down the Control (Ctrl) key on your keyboard while selecting the cookies you want to remove. Then select Remove cookie.

Firefox 30.x or higher—Macintosh

Click the Firefox menu and select Preferences.

Click the Privacy icon.

Click Remove individual cookies.

In the Search box, type "Vanguard."

Select the cookie you want to remove and click Remove cookie. To remove multiple cookies, hold down the Command/Apple key on your keyboard while selecting the cookies you want to remove. Then select Remove cookie.

Safari 5.0

Click the Safari menu, then choose Preferences.

On the Security tab, select Show cookies.

Type "Vanguard" into the search box.

Hold down the Command/Apple key on your keyboard and select the Vanguard cookies you want to remove.

How do I disable my popup blocker?

In order to use our site you may need to disable your popup blocker(s). First, you need to locate the applications, then disable the popup blockers. There are three major types of popup blockers that may be installed on your system:

Blockers built into your web browser: Internet Explorer 6 and higher, Firefox, Safari, and Google Chrome all have popup blockers built into the applications. See below for instructions for specific web browsers.

Blockers you add through a toolbar: Some of the most popular web browser toolbars, such as Google Toolbar and Yahoo! Companion include popup blockers you can control in the toolbar window. We recommend that you check the toolbar manufacturer's website for instructions for disabling the popup blocker, as most manufacturers keep this information in their online help files.

Stand-alone blockers: You can also purchase or download applications that block popup windows and other advertisements as part of an overall security package. These include applications such as Popup Stopper, Ad-Subtract, and Ad-Aware, as well as firewall or antivirus applications including Norton Internet Security and Zone Alarm. We recommend that you check the manufacturer's website or the help files for the application for instructions for disabling the popup blocker.

Note: Most popup blockers running on Windows computers can be temporarily disabled by holding down the Control (Ctrl) key and Alternate (Alt) key on your keyboard while clicking a link. This is the fastest and easiest first step.

To disable a popup blocker on your web browser, follow the instructions for your browser below.

Windows users:

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 or higher

(Please note: If you're using Internet Explorer 8 or higher you may need to press the Alt key to view your menu bar.)